TRENDING SCIENCE: A woman with lofty career ambitions? Sleep well

Do you feel empowered and motivated to climb the corporate ladder? One of the secrets to your success could lie in … quality sleep.

According to a study published in the journal ‘Sex Roles’, women who want to advance in their careers should hit the bed. By getting some good sleep, they are more likely to be ambitious. It also improves their mood and views on career progression.Researchers at Washington State University (WSU) carried out a survey involving 135 full-time male and female employees over two consecutive weeks (10 workdays). The research team studied how they had slept the night before, their mood, and how they felt about aiming for more prestige and obligations at work. Findings showed that poor sleep for women led to worse moods and less focus on work accomplishments.

“When women are getting a good night’s sleep and their mood is boosted, they are more likely to be oriented in their daily intentions toward achieving status and responsibility at work,” lead author Leah Sheppard, an associate professor at WSU’s Carson College of Business, commented in a news release. “If their sleep is poor and reduces their positive mood, then we saw that they were less oriented toward those goals.”A bad night of sleep didn’t affect the male participants’ work ambitions. One reason could be that the two genders respond differently to emotions. In contrast to women, men are taught to repress their emotions.

“It’s important to be able to connect aspirations to something happening outside the work environment that is controllable,” explained Prof. Sheppard. “There are lots of things that anyone can do to have a better night’s sleep and regulate mood in general.”

The research suggests that businesses can encourage better sleep by offering flexible work arrangements and exercise facilities. These organisations should also discourage things like late-night emails that can disrupt sleep.

Women who prioritise professional advancement must do so for sleep, too. “The insights we provide with this work might highlight the importance of self-care practices for ambitious individuals who might otherwise be inclined to neglect daily habits that bolster both sleep quality and mood, such as exercise and a healthy diet,” the authors concluded in the study.